Maximilian Felzmann

Maximilian Felzmann
Born	22 April 1894 Zwittau
Died	8 June 1962 (aged 68) Zürich, Switzerland
Allegiance	Austria-Hungary (to 1918) First Austrian Republic (to 1938)  Nazi Germany
Service/branch	Austrian Army Wehrmacht
Years of service	1913–1938 1938–1945
Rank	Major (Austria) General der Artillerie (Germany)
Commands held	251. Infanterie-Division XXXXVI. Panzerkorps XXVII. Armeekorps
Battles/wars	World War I World War II Battle of France Operation Barbarossa Battles of Rzhev Operation Mars Battle of Kursk Operation Bagration Warsaw Uprising Gumbinnen Operation East Prussian Offensive
Awards	Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves

Maximilian Felzmann (22 April 1894 – 8 June 1962) was a General der Artillerie in the Wehrmacht during World War II, and one of only 882 recipients of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves. The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross and its higher grade Oak Leaves was awarded to recognise extreme battlefield bravery or successful military leadership. Maximilian Felzmann was captured by American troops in May 1945 and held until 1947.

Awards and decorations

• Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class (18 May 1940)^[1]
  • 1st Class (27 July 1940)^[1]
• Eastern Front Medal (18 July 1942)
• German Cross in Gold on 29 January 1942 as Oberst in Artillerie-Regiment 251^[2]
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
  • Knight's Cross on 28 November 1943 as Generalmajor and commander of 251. Infanterie-Division^[3]
  • 643rd Oak Leaves on 3 November 1944 as Generalleutnant and commander of Korpsabteilung E^[4]
• Mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht (29 October 1943)

Wehrmachtbericht reference

Date	Original German Wehrmachtbericht wording	Direct English translation
29 October 1943	Die im Mittelabschnitt kämpfende hessisch-thüringische 251. Infanteriedivision unter Führung des Generalleutnants Felzmann hielt in einem der Schwerpunkte der Abwehrschlacht den immer wiederholten Angriffen vielfach überlegener Sowjetkräfte unerschütterlich stand.	The in the middle section fighting Hesse-Thuringia 251st Infantry Division under the command of Lieutenant General Felzmann withstood in one of the focal points of the defensive battle the ever-repeated attacks of often superior Soviet forces unshakably.

References

Citations

1. Thomas 1997, p. 163.
2. Patzwall & Scherzer 2001, p. 111.
3. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 150.
4. Fellgiebel 2000, p. 77.

Bibliography

• Fellgiebel, Walther-Peer (2000) [1986]. Die Träger des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939–1945 — Die Inhaber der höchsten Auszeichnung des Zweiten Weltkrieges aller Wehrmachtteile [The Bearers of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939–1945 — The Owners of the Highest Award of the Second World War of all Wehrmacht Branches] (in German). Friedberg, Germany: Podzun-Pallas. ISBN 978-3-7909-0284-6.
• Patzwall, Klaus D.; Scherzer, Veit (2001). Das Deutsche Kreuz 1941–1945 Geschichte und Inhaber Band II [The German Cross 1941–1945 History and Recipients Volume 2] (in German). Norderstedt, Germany: Verlag Klaus D. Patzwall. ISBN 978-3-931533-45-8.
• Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Miltaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
• Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.

External links

• World War 2 Awards.com
• Lexikon der Wehrmacht